FROM 13 DEC '25 – 3 MAY '26 | Kunsthal Rotterdam presents What the Hell Was I Thinking?, a major exhibition by British artist David Shrigley, opening on Saturday, 13 December 2025, and running until 3 May 2026. Known for his darkly comic drawings and absurd installations, Shrigley turns his sharp humour inward for the first time, offering visitors an honest and self-reflective look inside his creative mind.
With his trademark blend of wit, irony and social critique, Shrigley examines not only the art world and society at large but also his own creative process. The exhibition invites viewers to see the artist’s world as one of doubt, play, and constant re-evaluation rather than perfection or genius.
Revisiting ideas and embracing failure
For Kunsthal Rotterdam, Shrigley has brought together a wide range of works, including fifty new drawings created especially for the show. These feature animals, people and everyday scenes rendered in his distinctive, sardonic style. The exhibition also includes a three-metre-tall animatronic figure, meteorite horseshoes, and for the first time, a complete presentation of his inflatable sculptures — among them the much-loved Swan Thing, in which a graceful bird is transformed into a cartoon-like creature.
Play and futility collide in works such as Fluff War, where tufts of fluff wage a meaningless battle, and Topple the Anvil, a fairground-inspired game that dares visitors to knock an anvil off its pedestal with a ping pong ball — a task designed to fail. These pieces reflect Shrigley’s fascination with the absurd and the humour that can be found in defeat.
A critical eye wrapped in humour
David Shrigley (1968) has gained international recognition for his deadpan drawings, offbeat installations and sharp observations. Behind the apparent simplicity of his images lies a critical undertone: Shrigley challenges social conventions and the routines of daily life. His work reflects both humour and unease, inviting viewers to question the world around them.
The exhibition takes visitors into Shrigley’s unique universe, where doubt, failure and human peculiarities are visualised with minimal means. His approach strips situations to their essence, often revealing their absurdity.
Beyond drawings
Although best known for his drawings, Shrigley’s practice spans a wide range of media. What the Hell Was I Thinking? presents works including neons, inflatables and sculptures, alongside his characteristic works on paper. The variety highlights his ability to blend satire with critical reflection across different forms.
Organised in close collaboration with the artist himself and Stephen Friedman Gallery in London, the exhibition offers Rotterdam audiences a comprehensive look at Shrigley’s output.
About the artist: David Shrigley
David Shrigley (born 1968, UK) is one of Britain’s most recognisable contemporary artists, working across drawing, sculpture, installation, photography, and animation. He gained international acclaim for his conceptual yet accessible art and was nominated for the Turner Prize in 2013. In 2016, he created the Really Good sculpture for Trafalgar Square’s Fourth Plinth — a seven-metre-high bronze hand giving a thumbs-up — and was awarded an OBE for Services to Visual Arts in 2020.
His works are part of major public collections, including the Museum of Modern Art (New York), Tate Britain (London) and the National Gallery of Denmark (Copenhagen).
Practical information
- Dates: 13 December 2025 – 3 May 2026
- Location: Kunsthal Rotterdam, Hal 1
- Organised with: David Shrigley and Stephen Friedman Gallery, London
Location and directions
Kunsthal Rotterdam is located on the Museumpark, close to Het Nieuwe Instituut and Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen. It is easily reached by tram or metro (Eendrachtsplein), and within walking distance from Rotterdam Central Station.
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